Robbie Blake

Robert James "Robbie" Blake (born 4 March 1976) is an England association football, currently playing for Bolton Wanderers F.C. in the Barclays Premier League. Robbie Blake began Robbie Blake career as a Forward (association football) but has increasingly been used as midfielder in the latter part of Robbie Blake career.

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Robbie Blake biography

Robert James "Robbie" Blake (born 4 March 1976) is an England association football, currently playing for Bolton Wanderers F.C. in the Barclays Premier League. Robbie Blake began Robbie Blake career as a Forward (association football) but has increasingly been used as midfielder in the latter part of Robbie Blake career.

Robbie Blake began Robbie Blake professional career with Darlington F.C. in 1994 and went on to make more than 500 appearances in the Football League and Premier League playing for Bradford City A.F.C., Nottingham Forest F.C., Burnley, Birmingham City F.C. and Leeds United A.F.C.. Blake has been the subject of many transfer (football) throughout Robbie Blake career, with career total transfer fees reaching £3.6 million.

Career

Darlington

Born in Middlesbrough, England, Blake began Robbie Blake List of professional sports Association football football career at Division Three side Darlington F.C. in the 1994-95 in English football season after signing on from the youth team.

Bradford City

Blake quickly settled into the Bradford side and Robbie Blake scored eight goals in Robbie Blake first full season, first under Chris Kamara and then Paul Jewell. Robbie Blake was sent off in the final game of the 1997-98 in English football season against Portsmouth F.C. meaning Robbie Blake was suspended for the start of the following season. But Robbie Blake forced Robbie Blake way back into the team and scored in Robbie Blake first game back in a 2–2 draw with Sheffield United F.C.. Robbie Blake and new signing Lee Mills forged a lethal partnership in attack sharing 40 goals. Blake scored 16 goals as City won promotion to the Premier League. Blake scored the winning goal in the final game against Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. of the 1998-99 in English football season to see Robbie Blake side finish the season as league runners-up. Following Robbie Blake 2 month loan spell at Forest Robbie Blake returned to Bradford where Robbie Blake finished the season with four goals from Robbie Blake 14 starts in the 2000-01 in English football season with Bradford ultimately being relegated to Division One.

This was not the last transfer offer Bradford would receive as just a few months later on 25 January 2002 the club received a £1 million transfer bid from fellow Division One side Burnley F.C. and, due to Bradford's poor financial status, the club had no option but to sell the player.

Wigan later made a third for the player, a revised figure of £700,000. Again the Burnley board turned down this offer and no further bids were made by the Latics. In Robbie Blake final game of Robbie Blake first spell at Burnley Robbie Blake scored what is possibly the best goal of Robbie Blake Burnley career leathering in a stunning free kick from 35 yards in a local derby against Preston North End. Eventually a successful bid of £1.25 million was made by Birmingham City F.C. and Blake once again had a chance to prove himself in the top league.

Birmingham City

Blake made Robbie Blake debut for Birmingham in the FA Cup against Leeds United A.F.C. on 8 January 2005 as a second half substitute. Blake was confident that Robbie Blake could push for a starting place at Birmingham saying:

"Clinton Morrison and Emile Heskey have done fantastically well, but hopefully I can push them for a place. I can play in a few positions, behind the strikers or dropping deep, and that gives the gaffer some selections to think about. I thought if anything a bottom four team in the Premiership would come in for me but Birmingham, with the quality of players they have, was an even bigger bonus." During the summer of that year Birmingham confirmed that they had received an offer from Leeds United for Blake:

"We have had an offer from Leeds for Robbie Blake. We are considering it and talks are ongoing. Robbie has done very well for us, but Robbie Blake feels Robbie Blake wants to play more and at Leeds Robbie Blake would probably play every week" – Steve Bruce and Robbie Blake was eventually signed for £800,000.

Leeds United

Blake signed a three year deal at Elland Road and commented that although moving to Leeds was stepping back a division Robbie Blake was looking forward to winning promotion with Robbie Blake new club;

"It's a step back in terms of divisions but hopefully I can get back into the Premier League with Leeds. With the quality of players we have got, I'm sure there will be no end of goals going in." Robbie Blake went on to make 31 starts for Leeds and finished the season with 11 goals.

Blake was one of six strikers at Leeds and was not a first team regular until the second season when Dennis Wise was appointed manager following Kevin Blackwell's departure. Following their relegation to the Football League One Leeds struggled to hang on to their players with the likes of David Healy (footballer), Richard Cresswell, Neil Sullivan and Kevin Nicholls all leaving the club.

Blake soon followed when Robbie Blake was re-signed by Burnley for a fee of £250,000 on 13 July 2007 and signed a three year deal. A number of clauses on the sale meant the total transfer fee would rise to £350,000 after 40 games and also included a further payment if Burnley were to be promoted. Burnley director Brendan Flood also revealed that Burnley had been working on a deal for a couple of weeks prior to the announcement:

"With strikers, once it gets mooted that they may be on the move, it invites others to join the hunt. Being able to keep it under wraps is therefore vital, otherwise you get competitive bids coming and the price spirals. Robbie is a proven entertainer and one of the top strikers in the Championship and we know Robbie Blake is always going to score goals. But the really important factor is that Robbie Blake is happy and keen to play for Burnley." – Brendan Flood

Blake made Robbie Blake return debut for the club on 11 August 2007 in the opening fixture of the 2007-08 in English football Football League Championship season against West Bromwich Albion F.C. which Burnley won 2–1. Robbie Blake then scored the first goal of Robbie Blake second spell with the Clarets against in the Football League Cup game against Oldham Athletic A.F.C.. Robbie Blake was heavily praised by both Robbie Blake and other managers as well as the press for Robbie Blake excellent form at the start of the 2007–2008 season, most notably for Robbie Blake performance in the 1–1 draw against Crystal Palace F.C. just days after the birth of Robbie Blake daughter Mia. Blake finished the season with 10 goals and 14 assists in 43 matches.

Blake came closing to helping Burnley into the 2009 Football League Cup Final by scoring one goal and making two more in the second leg of the side's semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur F.C.. The goals put Burnley just two minutes away from the final, before Tottenham scored twice in the final two minutes to reach the final on aggregate.

Blake returned to the top flight once again in May 2009, this time with Burnley after Burnley beat Sheffield United 1–0 in the play off final at Wembley. A match which Blake played in. Blake scored Robbie Blake first Premier League goal since 2005 on 19 August 2009 against the defending Premier League champions Manchester United, in a 1–0 win. This was Burnley's first home game in the top flight of English football for 33 years.

Bolton Wanderers

On 30 June 2010, it was announced that Robbie Blake had signed for Bolton Wanderers on a free transfer and would officially join the club a day later. Robbie Blake made Robbie Blake debut for Wanderers in their 3–1 win over West Ham United F.C. at Upton Park on 21 August and scored Robbie Blake first goal for the club eight days later in the home game against former employers Birmingham City F.C. with a free kick that earned Bolton a 2–2 draw. As the season drew on, Blake became less and less involved in the first team and several clubs showed interest in signing Robbie Blake on loan, but the player decided to stay and fight for Robbie Blake first team place. At the end of the season, the club decided to take up the option on extending Robbie Blake contract for another year.

Honours

As a player

Bradford City A.F.C.- Football League First Division (level 2) runner-up: 1998-99 in English football

Burnley F.C.- Football League Championship (level 2) Football League Championship play-offs winners: 2009 Football League Championship play-off Final

Leeds United A.F.C.:- Football League Championship (level 2) play-off runner up: 2005–06 Football League